1) We used to say Hello or Hi, but nowadays it has become common to say 'hey', e.g., Hey, how you are today?
'hey' is defined as an interjection, a word that is used to show strong feelings or emotions such as shock, surprise, excitement, sadness, pain, and anger, for example: all right, OMG, gee, yahoo, hooray, oh, oh no, oops, ouch, ow, super, wow, yippee, yuck.
My father used to tell me not to use 'hey' because 'hay (different spelling but same sound (a homonym/homophone) was for horses (not a word to get someone's attention).
I'm old-fashioned, so I do not like people to say 'Hey Richard'. It doen't sound like 'hello'. It sounds like they are trying to get my attention, like a parent would say to a child "Hey, stop making so much noise. And I find it is not polite.
2) I also don't like it when someone younger than me uses the word 'guy'. This usage has become very common in North America. It is often used when a person speaks to a group of people, like in a restaurant, e.g., "Hi guys, my name's John. I'll be your waiter today."
What do you think?
Are there any words that you don't like?
@ Yannick
In the last two years, the expression "Have a good one" has become commonplace... but I hate it. When someone says that to me I always want to answer "Have a good WHAT?".
"Perfunctory" is the perfect word to describe the expression:
adjective
1. performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial: perfunctory courtesy.
2. lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic: In his lectures he reveals himself to be merely a perfunctory speaker.
Thank you for your good example of words and expressions we could live without :)
Well I'm sure this has been mentioned before on this website but the overuse of the word 'like' is like (no pun intended) nails on a chalkboard to me. Fair enough, it's a pretty handy filler word, but it seems that nowadays some people can't string two sentences together without using it.
I've heard the expression "Have a good one" so many times which I really don't like....It doesn't sound like "Have a good day" and it's a little bit perfunctory.
Michael... you bridle?... really, bridle? OMG (please don't shoot the abbreviator), I've heard the word before and had a sense of its meaning, but I've never used it before. It sounds like an excellent verb to use, in the right situation. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what situation would be the right situation, but it's a great word... word of the day for me.
Yes, you and I both agree, as do several others, that the word 'guys', especially when speaking to elders, is seldom well-received. Thanks guy Michael for your good comments.
Movies are misleading, @languagefetishist. They give a distorted view of the real world. English speakers don't really trade obscenities with each other at every breath any more than we take part in wild car chases or turn into vampires. These things just sell more cinema tickets.
